Peter Wall: Digital Nomads and the Culture of Taksu in Bali

This episode I’m on the beach in Bali with Peter Wall, Canadian documentary filmmaker and Co-Founder of the Hub in Ubud, a co-working space in the hills of Bali. We’re not far from my home. I’m writing this in the same place where I recorded the voice overs for the episode itself, an antique one-room shack called a gladag. It sits surrounded by thick jungle and we use it as a kind of home office. The left wall has been replaced with a full pane of glass giving me a framed view of the lush surroundings. Through the thin slats of wood you can hear the sound of cicadas, wind chimes, the occasional cry of a rooster, and fluttering of palm fronds. Most of the time when I tell people that I call Bali home, they get this dreamy look in their eyes. And it is dreamy. The town of Ubud, in the uplands of Bali, is stunning, but it’s also predictably over-run with women in yoga pants and men with man-buns, thanks in no small part to the Julia Roberts film Eat, Pray, Love. But Ubud is more than a preserve for neo-hippies. Increasingly, Ubud is also the destination a new generation of “digital nomads:” professionals in search of the prophetic work-life balance. It’s a place where people from every possible background can come together to work, play, and create. Despite the publicity, Bali remains a sanctuary for the soul, a place where mysticism and magic still abide. A word in the local Balinese dialect—taksu—captures this blend of harmony, nature, and inspiration. It is more a “feeling” than an event, imbued with a sacred quality. It might seem odd that in the absolute tranquility of these surroundings, Peter Wall co-founded a work space for techno-entrepreneurs. But as you’ll hear, it actually makes a lot of sense. You can find more information about Peter and his work in film here including his important companion documentary for iconic Canadian singer Gord Downie’s “Secret Path.” And here’s where you can find directions to Hubud the co-working space that Wall helped found.